Thread-box



Patented May 2, I899.

M. J. EDWARDS.

THREAD BDX.

' (Applicgtion filed Nov. 30, 189

I (No Model.)

' WITNESSES:

//v VENTOH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATTiE J. EDWARDS, or Los ANGELES, cALiEoRN A.

THREAD-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,313, dated May 2, 1899.

' 7 Application filed November 30, 1898. Serial No. 697.828. (No model.)

To all ZUhOTTI/ it na ,3 concern.-

Be it known thatl, MATTIE J. EDWARDS, of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Thread-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improved box or case primarily for holding spools of thread, cotton, and silk, but also for the general purposes of a ladys work-box, for the safe keeping of scissors, needles, thimbles, &c. Its main object is to provide a receptacle forconveniently keeping the spools of thread always in place for keeping them clean and for facilitating the cutting off of the thread and the holding of its ends in place for convenient manipulation and use.

- It consists in the special construction and arrangement of the box, which I will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawi'ngs, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the front part of the box with the lid partly-raised, and Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the front-portion ofthe box.

In the drawings, A represents a rectangular box of any desired size and material. Bis a metal plate of the same length as the box, placed in a horizontal position along the middle of its front wall and having an upwardlyprojecting piece b extending to the top of the front wall of the box and havinga stud to receive the catch of the spring-latch a or any other desired form of fastening attached to the lid.

On the front of the plate B there are two or more fiat double-ended clasp-springs 0 secured in the middle to plate B by rivets or screws 6 and having free projecting ends. On the upper edge of the front wall of the box is another flat plate B, having also flat clasp-springs 0, having free projecting ends. Under the free projecting ends of the springs C and C the thread from the spools within the box is passed and is held by frictional contact between said springs and their respective base -plates. These springs have wedge-shaped ends to facilitate the passing of the thread under the ends by a lateral movement of the thread, and the lower edge of the springs O is beveled to a knife-edge, as shown at c in Fig. 2.

'under the ends of the springs C.

At points above the base-plate B, on each side of the middle of the box, the front of the box is gouged out or formed with a concave groove D, so as to leave a sufficient space behind the thread where it passes from the upper springs C to the lower ones 0 to enable it to be conveniently grasped between the thumb and fingers. With this form of box the thread is drawn olf the spools and is swung by'a lateral movement under the ends of the springs O, by which it is caught and held with a frictional tension. The thread ends are then by the same lateral movement swung under the ends of the springs O and=are there retained until desired for use. When a portion of thread is desired, the thread is grasped and swung out from under the springs O and is pulled out to the desired length and then by a lateral movement is swung under the spring C again and by an upward movement is cut off by the knife-edge c on the lower edge of spring 0, the end of the thread being retained thereby in convenient position to be again pulled out when required for use again.

' As shown, the box is adapted to hold four spools of different sizes of thread, but it may be arranged to hold a greater or less number as may be desired.

By means of my improved thread-box it will be seen that the spools of thread are 'always kept in place and there is no necessity for hunting for the proper spool through the work-basket. It also saves much time in getting out the thread and also wear and tear on the teeth, which are frequently broken in the common practice of biting off the thread, and, furthermore, the thread is always kept clean and in order for use.

I am aware that boxes for holding spools of thread have heretofore been devised in which provision is made for holding the thread and cutting it off by appliances on the exterior face. My invention is chiefly distinctive in the formation of the box with the grooves D extending or formed inside of the plane of the front face in connection with the partieular arrangement of the clasp-springs on opposite sides of the grooves, which distend the thread across the grooves, so that itmay be easily grasped between the fingers, and yet there is no projection on the front face of the .box to injure the fingers or scratch other boxes or objects lying adjacent thereto.

Having thus described myinvention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1; A thread-box having on its front face a horizontal groove D, a spring-clasp C arranged in a horizontal plane parallel with and on top of the upper edge of the body of the box, a clasp-spring G arranged on the front vertical wall of the box flat against the same and below and parallel with the groove D, said spring having a sharpened lower edge and arranged to hold the thread stretched across the groove in close juxtaposition to the front face of the box substantially as shown and described.

2. A thread-box having on its front face the horizontal grooves D D, a plate B secured flat against the vertical front wall and extending parallel with and immediately below the grooves, said plate being also formed with a middle upwardly-projecting tongue 6 with looking connection thereon for the lid or cover, the two clasp-springs O 0 having sharpened lower edges and secured fiatwise to the plate B on each side of its middle and immediately below the grooves D, and a horizontal'plate B arranged along the upper edge of the front wall of the box and bearing horizontal clasp-springs C 0 arranged above the grooves D and parallel with the edge plate B substantially as and for the purpose de= scribed.

MATTIE J. EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

DAVID W. EDWARDS, JEssE F. WATERMAN. I 

